Today, a mess of people will be scouring the Internet trying to find an answer to this question hoping for some sort of assurance to guilt or proof to attack those who do purchase the ticket. But this subject, like others I\u2019ve done on this site, takes some sober consideration from all angles, which I\u2019ll try to keep pretty short.<\/p>\n
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Is Gambling unbiblical?<\/strong> So perhaps the problem with gambling isn\u2019t the fact that you\u2019re gambling (after all, it\u2019s just as much a gamble winning a game of Settlers of Catan\u2014though you probably have better chances in that than the lottery); maybe it\u2019s something else.<\/p>\n What is Gambling aiming at?<\/strong> As unfruitful as this or that work may seem to us, work is actually tied to the very purpose that we\u2019ve been put here (Gen 2). We might not all be tillers of the field, but we all are workers of some sort.<\/p>\n Gambling in the lottery has many of these markings. People want what money provides. They\u2019re sick and tired of their situation. They want a quick way out. The lottery provides a shining momentary answer.<\/p>\n The fact is that if one is hoping<\/em> for an answer from the lottery, they\u2019ve lost focus on whom they should be properly focusing on: God himself (Psalm 62:5). He\u2019s the one, in the person of Christ, who gives the ultimate rest (Psalm 23; 2 Sam 7:11).<\/p>\n But can one play without hoping<\/em> in it?<\/strong> Paul points out that as Christians, we are functioning as grown up sons (Gal 3:26) who are being conformed to the image of Christ (Rom 8:29). As such we have to weigh things for ourselves and act with a clear conscience before God (Acts 24:16; 1 Pet 3:16-22) because eventually we must all give an account of our actions to Him (Rom 14:12).<\/p>\n Then I can play?<\/strong> If you personally have a problem with gambling, and you are totally acting against your faith here, then I gotta\u2019; tell you: to you this is an outright sin (Rom 14:23; James 4:17).\u00a0 It might not be wrong in itself, but it is wrong for you before God: don\u2019t play.<\/p>\n Further, if some Christian brother has a real problem with gambling (perhaps even fighting with recovery) it probably isn\u2019t wise to start offering him some lottery tickets\u2014you might just destroy him (Rom 14:21). \u00a0Perhaps it would be better if you keep the activity between yourself and God (Rom 14:22).<\/p>\n
\nThe Bible actually doesn\u2019t speak about gambling. You\u2019ll have people who seek God\u2019s will by casting lots (Josh 18:6-10; Acts 1:26) but that was really never considered a gamble. It wasn\u2019t like they were dealing with chance; they were waiting on the opinion of the all powerful and all-knowing God. Indeed, this is the case with all lot-casting apparently because if God really is the sustainer of all things and nothing happens without his say-so, then ultimately he stands behind the die roll (Proverbs 16:33) or the digital output\u2014whatever.<\/p>\n
\nScripture is rife with warnings about loving money (1 Tim 6:10; Heb 13:5) and get rich quick schemes (Prov 13:11; 23:5; Ecc 5:10). It repeatedly warns about the inability to be an all out servant of two masters (Luke 16:13; 1 Cor 10). And in all things, the Scriptures underscore the principle that we are meant for work (Prov 10:4).<\/p>\n
\nThere\u2019s churches that hold Bingo night to raise money and no one thinks they\u2019re going to go home big after it\u2014they play for fun, camaraderie, and for the sake of chipping in. Plenty of other people have office pools where the entire team chips in, not out of hope, but maybe out of a silly pool. They perhaps do the same thing with sports brackets or fantasy football.<\/p>\n
\nWell, here we still must be careful. We\u2019re grown up sons who are not yet perfected but we must do all things for the purpose of peace and mutual edification (Rom 14:19) with conviction before God.<\/p>\n